Nobody wants to take their medicine.  Kids are notorious for fighting taking their medicine and, just like kids, dogs are not exactly eager to swallow a pill or liquid medication.  But, unlike kids, you cannot exactly bribe or reason with a dog.  When your dog needs to take their medication, do not panic, there are a few tips and tricks that can help you get medicine in your pet without a hassle or fuss.

• Get Sneaky
  • Yes, one of the easiest ways to get medication in your dog is to get a little sneaky and put it in their food. Don’t just put it in their food bowl and hope they eat it, though.  Try putting it in a hot dog, wrap a piece of turkey around it, put it in some peanut butter or whatever else your dog might enjoy and watch to make sure it gets eaten.  If you think your dog will see through your sneaky means or eat around the pill, consider crushing it up and mixing it into some peanut butter or a small amount of other food so that they cannot eat around it. It is important to approve this method with your veterinarian to ensure it is ok to eat food with the medication but it is one of the tried-and-true methods that simply works.
• Toss the Pill in the Air
  • This is one of those tips you have to know your dog to use. If you know your dog is athletic and playful and likes to catch things in their mouth, then this trick is for you. Try tossing a small treat in the air first and get them excited.  Then, toss the pill in the air and they will catch it thinking it is simply another treat coming.  Once the pill is down, consider following up with one more small treat in case your dog bit into the pill and has a bad taste in their mouth.
• Syringe
  • Syringes are great for dispensing liquid medication and there are even pill syringes that make administering pills far easier. Simply gently and calming hold your dog’s muzzle up towards the ceiling and put the tip of the syringe in the corner of your dog’s mouth and administer the liquid or pills, it should go right down and then you can give your dog a treat for being so well-behaved.